AR-MEDCOM Unit Honored with Logistical Excellence Award

By Story by Capt. Sibaria TaylorSeptember 23, 2010

AR-MEDCOM Unit Honored with Logistical Excellence Award
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Col. Harvey Mouzon, Southeast Medical Area Readiness Support Group (SE-MARSG) commander, joins Chief Warrant Officer 2 Richard W. Barkow, Lt. Col. Oscar Morrow, SE-MARSG Deputy Commander and SE-MARSG supply sergeant, Staff Sgt. Le'Shaunte Leflore, to... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
AR-MEDCOM Unit Honored with Logistical Excellence Award
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Chief of Staff of the Army, Gen. George W. Casey hands Chief Warrant Officer 2 Richard W. Barkow, of Southeast Medical Area Readiness Support Group, Nashville, Tenn., the Supply Excellence Award for Property Book Level, June 24th at the 6th annual Co... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

RICHMOND, Va., June 24, 2010 - The Chief of Staff of the Army, Gen. George W. Casey Jr., presented an Army Reserve Soldier the Supply Excellence Award, June 24, at the 6th annual Combined Logistics Excellence Awards (CLEA).

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Richard W. Barkow, an Active Guard Reserve (AGR) property book officer assigned to the Southeast Medical Area Readiness Support Group (SE-MARSG) in Nashville, said it was his first time receiving the award in his more than 17 years of Army service - 13 of which were spent on active duty.

"It's an honor," he said. "But this award is a unit award. It is a symbol of appreciation for all our hard work."

Barkow began his career as unit supply specialist before becoming a quartermaster warrant officer in January 2007. He said the award was won because of a team effort.

"It could not have been won without our subordinate commanders and supply sergeants meeting deadlines and doing what was required logistically," he said. "It took support from the command team and Army Reserve Medical Command (AR-MEDCOM), as well. It's an organizational award, earned by the hard work of everybody."

The 2010 CLEA awards were presented at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. They are logistics awards given out to Active Component, Reserve Component and Army National Guard units and individuals for logistical excellence. They are combined into three categories: Army Award for Maintenance Excellence, Deployment Excellence Awards, and Supply Excellence Award.

Before presenting the awards Gen. Casey spoke to Barkow and the other CLEA winners in the audience.

"This award recognizes the very greatest in Army logistics," he said. "In our business there is no second best."

Barkow, who was born in Cameron, Texas and resides in Nashville, Tenn., also thanked Family for their support, in particular his wife of nine years, Carrie.

"I thank my wife, because I do spend a lot of time away. I'm either away for temporary duty or at work. Without her toleration, it would be much more difficult to do my job," he said.

The SE-MARSG was still in its developing stages when Barkow was first assigned to the unit in September 2007. According to Col. Harvey Mouzon, SE-MARSG commander, creating a supply system from scratch made Barkow's logistical job more difficult, yet he succeeded.

"Hard work and dedication - that's all I've seen in Chief Barkow," he said. "It's a true tribute to the work he has done since being with the organization. There were very few selected for these honors and he has been selected as one of the best due to his efforts."

SE-MARSG, established in October 2005, provides command and control and support for hospitals and medical support units in the southeastern United States, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. The unit is part of the AR-MEDCOM headquartered in Pinellas Park, Fla.

SE-MARSG supply sergeant, Staff Sgt. Le'Shaunte Leflore, who started his military career as an infantry Soldier 13 years ago, said he didn't realize how much work went into logistics until he became a supply sergeant in September 2005.

"It motivated me seeing him [Barkow] walk across the stage," said Leflore. "It takes late hours to get everything dress right dress. You have to pay attention to detail to everything."

After the ceremony concluded and before he could step his foot outside the convention center doors, Barkow said he already started making plans toward earning another award for his unit and subordinate units next year.

"There is no down time. There's so much going on and the op-tempo is so high. There's not a lot of time to relax. I'll probably go back to the room and do some work," said Barkow.